Button-sewing machine.



C. H; T. HAGELSTEIN.

BUTTON SEWING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED IAN.2, 1917.

Patented Feb. 5,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1- Flg 1 Inventor. Chrisliun HT. Hugeisiein C. H. T. HAGELSTEIN.

BUTTON SEWING MACHlNE.

APPLICATION FILED mm. 1917.

Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2'.

4 l I Ill l l x I I n r c. H. T; HAGELSTEIN:

BUTTON SEWING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED JAN.2. 1917.

Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.-

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CHRISTIAN H. T. I-IAGELSTEIN, 013 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGN-OR TO THE BUTTON HOLE MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MATNE.

BUTTON-SEWING MAGHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 5, 1910.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN H. T. T-lAonLs'rmN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Button-Sewing Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to button sewing machines of the general type illustrated in my co -pending application Se. No. 55,544, filed October 12, 1915 and the invention has for its objectto provide an improved feed mechanism for feeding the work forwardly as the buttons are sewed thereto.

In order to give an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated in the drawings a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described, after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of a button sewing machine having my improvements applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the features shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view g Fig. 4 is a sectional view on substantially the line 4-4, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view of the means for actuating the feeding prong;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of an elastic link which may be used in place of the link 113.

Inasmuch as the present invention relates solely to the feeding mechanism for the work and not to the stitching mechanism, I have not deemed it necessary to illustrate herein the complete button sewing machine, but have only shown a sutlicient portion thereof to enable my improvements to be understood.

1 indicates the base frame of the machine which supports the usual overhanging arm carrying the needle mechanism. This base frame has a work support 4 rising therefrom on which the work is supported. The buttons that are sewed to the work are fed into position from a feed chute, a portion of which is shown at 183.

6 is the needle which penetrates the eye of the button. and work and 90 is the oscillatory looper which operates to loop the thread second loop of thread is placed thereabout,

and upon the second upward movement of the needle, such second loop is drawn through the first or preliminary loop. This second loop is then spread and placed over the head of the button by the usual spreader indicated at 38.

p The work is fed forwardly as the buttons are sewed thereon by means of a feeding prong 5 situated beneath thework support 4 and which has a vertical movement to cause it to penetrate the work and a horizontal movement to cause it tofeed the work, all as usual in sewing machines of this type.

My improvement relates to the mechanism for operating the work-feeding prong 5. Said work-feeding prong is carried by a bar 100 that reciprocates through a sleeve 101.

Said bar is connected at its lower end to an arm 102 which is loosely mounted upon a shaft 80 that is journaled in the base 1. Said arm 102 has a roll 103 therein operating in a cam groove formed in the face of a cam element 75 which is fast upon a shaft 76 also journaled in the base of the frame. This shaft '76 is that which operates the looper and also the work-feeding prong. The cam 75 gives the bar 100 and feed prong 5 their vertical reciprocating movement. The horizontal movement of the feed prong necessary to feed the work is secured by means which give the sleeve'lOl a horizontal vibratory movement. This sleeve 101 is pivotally mounted at 106 to an arm 107 that is mounted on a rock-shaft 108 sustained in suitable bearings in the base of the machine. Said shaft 108 has fast thereon. an arm 109 provided with a curved slot or groove 110 in which operates a roll or stud 111 carried by a block 112. This block 112 is slidably mounted on. a guiding rod 116 and has pivotally connected thereto a link113 which is connected at its lower end to an arm 11 1 that is loosely mounted on the shaft 80, said arm-11% having a roll operating in a cam groove formed in the cam element 99. With this construction the vibrating movement of r the arm 11 1 will move the link-113 and block 112 vertically and will thus oscillate the shaft 108, thereby moving the sleeve 101 horizontally.

I have provided herein means for adjusting the length of the throw of the sleeve 101 i to the fulcrum shaft 108, the greater will be the horizontal or feeding movement given to the sleeve 101 and vice versa.

For adjusting the block 112 toward and g from the fulcrum shaft 108, I have provided means for shifting the position of the guiding rod 116. This rod 116 is pivoted at its lower end to a fixed arm 117, the pivotal point 118 between the guiderod 116 and its arm 117 being in line with the pivotal connection between the link 113 and its arm 11 1 when the parts are in position to place the feed prong 5 in its starting position. The groove 110 is made on the arc of a circle having the point 118 as its center when the parts-are in this position. The guide rod 116 carries a block 119 which has a nut 120 'pivotally connected thereto, said nut having screw-threaded engagement with an adjusting screw .121 that is rotatably supported in bearings 122- carried by the base frame 1 and which carries a knurled head 123 on the exterior of the machine. By turning the adjusting screw the nut 120 will be advanced or retracted, thus swinging the guide rod 116 about its pivot 118 and moving the block 112 toward or from the shaft 108. Because of the factithat' the slot 110 is on the arc of a circle struck from the pivotal point 118 when the parts are in the abovenamed position, this adjusting movement of the block 112 does not give horizontal movement to the feed prong This is important because it insures that the feed prong Wlll always enter the work at a given point.

' regardless of the adjustment of the feed.

In the operation of machines of this type. it is desirable that the feed prong should enter the work in one of the holes made by the needle, and this end is insured by this construction, regardless of the adjustment of the feed. I

In the above described embodiment of the invention, the link 113 is rigid and hence the movement of the feed prong is controlledabsolutely by the cam 99. With this construction, each feeding movement of the prong will be of exactly the same length in any adjusted position of the block 112. Such machines of this type are frequently used for sewing buttons on shoes, and in some shoes the buttons are not equally spaced apart. Where this is the case it is desirable to provide means so that the feed of the work can be varied slightly to correspond to the desired unequal spacing of the buttons. I have illustrated in Fig. 6 a construction by which this end may be accomplished. In Fig. 6, the link by which the block 112 is actuated from the lever 111- is elastic and this permits the extent of movement of the. feed prong to be varied during each stroke. In Fig. 6 this link which connects the block 112 with the lever llet is indicated at 21.3, and it comprises the section 21 1 which is pivotally connected to the lever 11d and the section 215 which is secured to the block 112 through the stud 111. The section 214 is shown as cylindrical and as extending into the section 215, said two sections having a limited telescopic movement. This is provided for by making the section 21 1 with a recess 216 and by providing the section 215 with a block 217 which occupies the recess, but is of such a size as to allow a certain amount of lost motion. 218 is a spring which encircles the section 21% and normally holds the link 213 fully extended. The tension of the spring 218 is suflicient to prevent the link from being contracted during the ordinary opera. tion of feeding the work. If, however, the operator who is feeding the work holds back slightly on the work as it is fed fin-ward. then the resistance which is thus ofifered to the feeding movement will cause the link 2 18 to be contracted and thus the length of the feeding movement of the cod prong will be correspondingly shortened. When the work is allowed to be fed forward freely. by the operator, then the feeding prong it will have its maximum movement at OllL'li operation as determined by the adjustment of the stud 111 in the groove 110. but by holding back on the work slightly a skilful operator can shorten the stroke of the feed prong at each operation thereof to an extent determined by the amount of lost motion between the parts 211, 215 of the link 213.

\Vhile I have illustrated herein some selected embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the constructitmal features shown.

I claim:

1. In a button-sewing machine, the conr bination with a frame having a base portion and an overhanging arm, of a work-feeding prong, a prong-holding member, an actualing shaft journalcd in the base portion of the frame, means actuated thereby to give the prong-holding member a vertical movement, a slee *e in which said member reciprocates, a rock-shaft having an arm pivot ally llll messes connected to saidfsleeve and also having a second arm extending therefrom, an actuating member connected to said second'arm, and a cam on the actuating shaft beneath the base portion of the frame for giving movement to said actuating member.

2. In a button-sewing machine, the combination with a work-feeding prong, of a prong-holding member, means to give said member a vertical movement, a sleeve in which said member reciprocates, a rock-shaft having an arm pivo-tally connected to said sleeve and also having a second arm extending therefrom, an actuating member connected to the second arm and by which the rock-shaft is rocked thereby to give the sleeve and prong a work-feeding movement, and means providing for the adjustment of the actuating member relative to said second arm without changing the position of the prong whereby the length of thefeeding movement can be varied.

3. In a button-sewing machine, the combination with a work-feeding prong, of a prong-holding member, means to give said holding member a vertical movement, a sleeve in which said member reciprocates, a rock-shaft having an arm pivo-tally connected to said sleeve and also having a slotted arm, an actuating member pivotally connected to said slotted arm and by which the rockshaft is rocked thereby to give the sleeve and work-feeding prong a feeding movement, and means for adjusting the pivotal connection between said slotted arm and actuating member.

4. In a button-sewing machine, the combination with a Work-feeding prong, of a prong-holding member, means to give said holding member a vertical movement, a sleeve in which said member reciprocates, a rock-shaft having an arm pivotally connected to said sleeve and also having a slotted arm, an actuating member pivotally connected to said slotted arm and by which the rockshatt is rocked thereby to give the sleeve and work-feeding prong a feeding movement, and means for adjusting the pivotal connection between said slotted arm and actuating member without affecting the position of the work-feeding prong.

5. In a button-sewing machine, the com bination with a worlrfeeding prong, of a prong-holding member, means to give said member a vertical movement, a sleeve in which said member reciprocates, a rockshaft having an arm pivotally connected to said sleeve and also having a second arm extending therefrom, and an actuating member yieldingly connected to said second arm and by which the rock-shaft is rocked thereby to give the sleeve and prong a work-feeding movement.

6. In a button-sewing machine, the con1bination with a work-feeding prong, of a prong-holding member, means to give said member a vertical movement, a. rock-shaft having an arm connected to said prong-hold ing member so that oscillating movement of said rock-shaft will vibrate the prongholding member, and means including a yielding link for oscillating the rock-shaft.

7. In a button-sewing machine, the combination with a worlcfeeding prong, of a prong-holding member, means to give said member a vertical movement, a sleeve in which said member reciprocates, a rockshaft having an arm pivotally connected to said sleeve and also having a second arm ex tending therefrom, an oscillatory actuating member, and a yielding link connecting said actuating member and said second arm.

8. In a button sewing machine, the combination With a work-feeding prong, of a prong-holding member, a sleeve through which said member reciprocates, means to give said member a vertical reciprocating movement in said sleeve, a rock-shaft connected to said sleeve so that oscillation of the rock-shaft will move the sleeve horizontally and thus give the prong its work-feeding movement, a vibrating actuating member having a fixed amplitude of movement,

a connection between said member and said rock-shaft, and means for adjusting said connection thereby to vary the amplitude of the oscillating movement which the actuating member gives to the rock-shaft.

9. In a button sewing machine, the combination with a work-feeding prong, ot' a prongholding member capable of both vertical and horizontal movement, a sleeve through which said member reciprocates, means to give said member a vertical movement in said sleeve, a rock-shaft connected to said sleeve so that oscillation of the rockshaft will move the sleeve horizontally and thus give the prong its work-feeding movement, a vibrating actuating member, a connection between said member and said rockshaft, and means for adjusting said connection thereby to adjust the length of the feeding movement of the prong without, however, changing the position of the prong during such adjustment.

10. In a button sewing machine, the combination with a work-feeding prong, of a prong-holding member capable of both vertical and horizontal movement, a guide through which said member reciprocates, means to give said member a vertical movement in said guide, a rock-shaft connected to the guide so that oscillation of said rockshaft will move the guide horizontally to give the prong its work-feeding movement, a vibrating actuating member, a connection between said member and said rock-shaft through which the motion of the vibrating member is transmitted to the rock-shaft, and means for adjusting said connection thereby .to adjust the length of the feeding movementof the prong without, however, changing the position of the prong.

11. In .a button sewing machine, the combination with a work-feeding prong, of a prong-holding member, a guide through which said member reciprocates, means to give said member a vertical movement, a

' rock-shafticonnectedto said guide so that oscillation of the rockshaft will give the prong its work-feedlng movement, a vibrat ing actuating member, a connection between said member and said rock-shaft by which the movement of the actuating member is communicated to the rock-shaft, and means for adjusting said connection relative to the rock-shaftthereby to adjust the length of the feeding movement of the prong.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CHRISTIAN H. T. HAGELSTEIN.

(Sopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

, Washington, D. C. 

